Headrest



1952 c. w. JOHNSON ET AL HEADREST Filed March 24, 1950 1 m zm k m mp0 ww n! Id vi u Patented Feb. 26, 195? HEADREST Carroll W. J ohnsoniChicago, andJohn- T. Clark, Ci e Ill-- Application March 24, 1950,Serial'NO. 151,682-

14 a ms! This invention relates to a head rest, and particularly to ahead rest for application to chairs, such as dental and surgical chairs.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our; co-pendingapplication Serial No. 140,896,. filed January 2'1, 1950.

This invention has for one object to providea head rest of the typeindicated so arranged that it may readily be adapted to and mounted uponstandard existing chairs.

Another object is to provide a head rest of the type indicated arrangedso that it may, without; any alteration, be mounted upon a chair havingstandard fixtures of difierent sizes,

Another object is to provide a head rest of the type indicated withadjustable and mevable parts so arranged that they may. readily, andwithout substitution, removal or additional parts, be adjusted forattachment to fixtures of different sizes as now available on chairspresently manufactured. j Other objects will appear from time to timethroughout the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a rear elevation of the head rest positioned upon a standardsupporting. fork; H

Figure 2 is a. sectional view taken at line 22 of Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a sectional detail taken at line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure l is, a side elevation of one of the attaching means;

Figure 5 is a section taken at line 5--5 of Fig- 111 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional detail taken on an enlarged scale showing amodified attaching means;

Figure 7 is a section taken at line l'! of Figure 6..

Like parts are indicated by like characters in the specification anddrawing.

l indicates a base member which may be of metal, plastic, fiber board,or any suitable material which can readily be given the desired shapeand which will thereafter retain such shape. 2 is a cushion member whichmay be of sponge rubber or other suitable material positioned on thefront of the base member I. 3 is a retaining cover of leather orcomparable ma-' terial which is positioned about the member and, asshown particularly in Figures 2 and ,3, extends somewhat about the edgesof. the member I. A finishing bead 4 overlies the edges of the member 3,and it and the member 3 are held in place by plate 5 which mayconveniently be made of metal, and it isheld in place by screws 6, asshown in Figures 1 and 3. The. member 5 is provided with two separatedslots l and, as shown particularly in. Figures 2 and 3, is spacedoutwardly somewhat away from the member I. The slots 7 are formed inflattened portions 7a. These portions are fiat and furnish, in effect.guides or tracks for fastening members which include the parts 8 andwhich are positioned within the space between the members I and 5;

They are reduced at- Ill to extend through the slot 7 and are providedwith portions l I which extend outwardly away from the rear face of themember 5. The portion ll is provided with a threaded perforation I-2adapted to receive a screw I3 which passes, through the end, which mayor may not be enlarged, of a fork M. The fork is secured to or formedintegrally with an arm I5, which at its end carries a ball-like memberIt for attachment to a chair. The fork, arm and ball are standardequipment normally found on chairs as presently manufactured, and suchforks are made in a variety of sizes. The supporting members 8, 'H areheld in adjusted position in the slots 1 by screws 9. Means are providedfor holding the head rest in adjusted position with relation to thefork. In the form shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 in particular, these meansinclude a member ll secured to or fixed in the part II. This membercarries a roller or other rounded member l8 which bears against theenlargement at, the end of one of the arms of the fork I 4. The memberI"! is preferably of spring material, and-thus it and the member l8cooperate to provide friction against the part of the fork which iscontacted by the member Hi. This friction is sufiicientf to hold thehead rest in adjusted, tilted position.

In Figures 6 and 7 a modified form of fric tion device is shown. Asthereshown, a member 19 is substituted for the member ll of. the earlierfigures. It is approximately U-shaped. but is enlarged or spread at its,outer or free end and a sleeve-like member 20 is slipped over it. Thismember, as well as the member l8, may be of rubber or comparablematerial. The member 20 is so arranged, as shown particularly in Figure6, that it contacts an end of the fork l4 and exerts friction againstit. Y

Although we have shown an operative form of our invention, it will berecognized that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of partscan be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and ourshowing is, therefore, to be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

In the particular form hereshown, the head rest is complete without thefork l4 and the parts I5 and l6. Those parts are commonly found onchairs as now available on the market.

The head rest of the present invention is in tended to be substituted onexisting chairs for the head rest now sold with such chairs. Toaccomplish the substitution, the head rest originally sold with thechair is removed by loosenin the screws [3 which engage parts on theconventional head rest. After the screws have been loosened, theconventional head rest is removed and the head rest of the presentinvention is substituted for it. Since the forks M are available indifierent sizes, it is frequently necessary to adjust the members 8 inthe slots I by loosening the set screws 9 and moving the members 8 tothe proper position for engagement with the fork, which is normallyalready in position upon the chair. When the members 8 have beenproperly adjusted, the set screws are tightened and the members H arethen placed in proper position with relation to the existing fork toreceive the screws I3. When those screws have been put into place, thesubstitute head rest is in proper position for use.

The friction device, comprising either the members [8 or 20, furnishessufficient friction against the fork so that the head rest, when tiltedinto any position Within its limits of movement, will be retained inthat position by friction. Tipping adjustment can, therefore, beaccomplished mere- :4.

ly by taking hold of the head rest and tipping it up or down. No partsneed to be loosened or adjusted to accomplish this movement, and thefriction is sufficient to hold the head rest into any position to whichit is moved by an operator.

Since the members la are hat and are disposed at a fixed angle withrespect to each other, movement of the parts 8 along the slots '1 doesnot alter the angle at which the parts ll protrude. Hence, the angularrelationship of the two parts H is not changed by their adjustment alongthe slots '1, The portions la are shown in the figures as being pressed,or otherwise shaped, outwardly beyond the plane of the member 5. Theycould be shaped inwardly equally well. The portions la are shown asintegral with the plate member 5. They could, of course, be madeseparately and secured to the member 5. This feature of the inventionis, therefore, not limited to the details of construction nor to thedisposition of the memher as shown in the figures, and for the purposesof the invention any construction of this feature in which the parts ofthe member 5 which interfit with the supporting parts H and whichprovide straight paths of movement for the members ll rather than curvedpaths of movement for them is within the contemplation of the invention.If. the plate 5 is merely slotted and the fastening.

members H are adjusted along the plate for ad justment to forks ofvarying dimensions, the relative angular disposition of the portions Hwould be altered with each adjustment. The provision of straight pathsof adjustment for the members II permits adjustment of the members Hwithout altering their relative angular rela tionship. As shown, theyare parallel, and in any position of adjustment along the slot I theywill remain parallel to each other.

We claim:

1. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachmentmembers interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said attachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for tilting movement, and a friction meanspositioned upon one of said attachment members and adapted tofrictionally engage said main support.

2. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said attachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for tilting movement, and a friction means mountedupon one of said attachment members and adapted and positionedfrictionally to engage said main support.

3. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said attachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for tilting movement, and a friction means adaptedand positioned frictionally to engage said main support, said frictionmeans comprising a spring support and a rubber-like member positionedthereon in engagement with a part of said main support.

4. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said attachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for tilting movement, and a friction means mountedupon one of said attachment members adapted and positioned frictionallyto engage said main support, said friction means comprising a springsupport and a rubber-like member positioned thereon in engagement with apart of said main support.

5. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said at tachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for pivotal movement, and a friction meanspositioned upon one of said attachment members and adapted tofrictionally engage said main support.

6. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said attachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for pivotal movement, and a friction means mountedupon one of said attachment members and adapted and positionedfrictionally to engage said main support. I

'1. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said basemember, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,means for securing said attachment members to said supporting part in aplurality of adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted toengage a main support for pivotal movement, and a friction means mountedupon one of said attachment members and adapted and positionedfrictionally to engage said main support, said friction means comprisinga spring support and a rubber-like member positioned thereon inengagement with a part of said main support.

8. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a plate-like supporting part secured to said basemember, a plurality of attachment members interfitting with saidsupporting part, means for securing said attachment members to saidsupporting part in a plurality of adjusted positions, said attachmentmembers adapted to engage a main support for tilting movement, and afriction means positioned upon one of said attachment members andadapted to friotionally engage said main support.

9. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a plate-like supporting part secured to said basemember, a plurality of attachment members interfitting with saidsupporting part, means for securing said attachment members to saidsupporting part in a plurality of adjusted positions, said attachmentmembers adapted to engage a main support for pivotal movement, and afriction means mounted upon one of said attachment members adapted andpositioned frictionally to engage said main support, said friction meanscomprising a spring support and a rubber-like member positioned thereonin engagement with a part of said main support.

10. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon and secured thereto, a cover member surrounding saidcushion member and engaging said base member, a plate-like supportingpart secured to said base member and engaging said cover, a plurality ofattachment members interfitting with said supporting part, means forsecuring said attachment members to said supporting part in a pluralityof adjusted positions, said attachment members adapted to engage a mainsupportfor pivotal movement, and a friction means mounted upon one ofsaid attachment members and adapted and positioned frictionally toengage said main support, said friction means comprising a springsupport and a rubber-like member positioned thereon in engagement with apart of said main support.

11. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, ap1u-.

rality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,said supporting part shaped to provide a plurality of straight linepaths of adjustment for said interfitting members, means for securingsaid attachment members to said supporting part in a plurality ofadjusted positions, said attachment members adapted to engage a mainsupport for movement, and a friction means adapted and positionedfrictionally to engage said main support, said friction means comprisinga spring support and a rubber-like member positioned thereon inengagement with a part of said main support.

12. In combination in a head rest, a base member, a cushion memberpositioned thereon, a supporting part secured to said base member, aplurality of attachment members interfitting with said supporting part,said supporting part shaped to provide two straight line paths, one foreach of said interfitting members, said straight line paths beingdisposed at an angle to each other, means for securing said attachmentmembers to said supporting part in a plurality of adjusted positions,said attachment members adapted to engage a main support for movement,and a friction means adapted and positioned frictionally to engage saidmain support.

13. In combination in a head rest, a head supporting base member, a headengaging cushion member positioned thereon, a supporting part on saidbase member, a plurality of attachment members interfitting with saidsupporting part, the supporting part and attachment members includingengaging portions formed and adapted to provide a generallystraight-line sliding connection between the attachment members and thesupporting part connection, means for securing said attachment membersto said supporting part in a plurality of adjusted positions, and

means for preventing their unintended relative movement including a bodyof frictional material and means for supporting it between saidsupporting part and one of said attachment members. 14. The structure ofclaim 13 characterized by and including means for mounting said body offrictional material upon one of said attachment members in a position toengage the supporting part.

CARROLL W. JOHNSON.

JOHN T. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 426,069 Rogers Apr. 22, 1890497,697 Wesson May 16, 1893 570,208 Harry Oct. 27, 1896 856,025 BrownJune 4, 1907 879,179 Kersey Feb. 18, 1908

